To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 16:28:30 -0500
Subject: HF036 - Where Was Eve?
The apostle drew reference to Adam and Eve, by saying, "For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." (Ephesians 5:31)
It was in Paul's discourse on the godly home, and the roles that
husband and wife are to take to themselves, that he then moves to
a deeper lesson. It is this deeper lesson that we will look at in the
study, 'Where Was Eve.'
Much of the language that Paul uses with regard to the new
creation is taken from the original creation. And so, the mystery
side of our redemption in Christ, can be set forth with a question
that begs to be answered. The question is simply, "Where was Eve
when God brought forth Adam?"
The quick answer would be, "She wasn't there." But is this entirely
true? Could it not be said that Eve's life was hidden in Adam? After all,
where did Eve come from? Did she not come out of Adam?
The apostle allows us to understand that Adam and Eve serve as
perfect pictures of Christ and His Church. He says, "This mystery
[of Adam and Eve] is great; but I am speaking with reference to
Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:32)
Think on this concept. In one place, the apostle says, "For you
have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ,
who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory." (Colossians 3:3,4)
Now lets continue the story of Adam and Eve. It says, "Then the
Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
(Genesis 2:7 - The ancient Greek says, "[God] breathed upon his
face the breath of life." The idea is 'face to face.')
David later says that Adam was made "a little lower than God."
This simply means that Adam was not created as a god, yet he did
share in the divine nature. When God breathed into his nostrils, or
upon his face, God's nature entered into the deeper part of Adam's
being, which the Bible speaks of as the 'spirit of man.' The divine
life was then to be an outflowing of that which was within. So Adam
shared in the divine life. But he also had his own personal life. (This
helps us understand what the Spirit-filled life really is.)
Does all this not strike a chord? What was it that Jesus did in His
appearance to the disciples following the resurrection? It says, "He
breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John
20:22)
Again we come back to Adam. Eve was in Adam. We are in Christ.
The destiny of all humanity was wrapped up in Adam. The destiny
of the Church is wrapped up in Jesus.
Did you know that had Adam not eaten of the tree, it is quite likely that
Eve's sin could have been dealt with on a different level? It was only
when Adam ate of the fruit that their eyes were opened, and they together
became sinners. You see, what Adam became, Eve would become. The reason
was that God placed Adam as 'head' of all humanity. This was done before
Eve was created. This is why the apostle said, "For as in Adam all die, so
also in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22) Notice that
there is no mention of Eve with regard to "all die."
What then does this tell us of Christ and His Church? The Church
is what Christ is. Again this is what Paul meant when he said that
our life was hidden in Christ. This is also what John meant, when
he said, "By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have
confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are
we in this world." (1 John 4:17)
John then lets us know that it is this message that casts out our
fears. When we understand the message of our life being hidden in
Christ, then we no longer fear punishment. And then we also
understand the idea of 'perfect redemption.' And finally, we
understand the issue of God's perfect love.
To punish the Church, Jesus Christ would have to be punished. But
how can that be? The apostle said that Christ has been raised, "far
above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to
come." (Ephesians 1:21)
But if our life is hidden in Christ, would it not seem that when He
was raised up, we would have to be raised up with Him? After all,
just as Eve's life was hidden in Adam, even so our life is hidden in
Christ. This is exactly what the apostles taught. Paul said, "[God] raised
us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6)
But there is yet more to the Adam and Eve story. It says, "So the
Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept;
then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken
from the man, and brought her to the man." (Genesis 2:21,22)
Notice that it is the Lord God Himself who does these things. He
puts Adam into a deep sleep, then takes a rib from Adam, and
then forms the rib into a woman. So it can be said that Eve was
God's workmanship, but she had been created from Adam.
Now listen to Paul again; "For we are His [God's] workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
Adam's deep sleep is a picture of the cross. Out of the cross came
this glorious creature called the Church. When Adam looked at
Eve, he said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
(Genesis 2:23) Adam knew that Eve's life came out of his life.
Perhaps we catch a hint of this, when Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I
say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink
His blood, you have not life in yourselves." (John 6:53) The Lord
was not speaking of the communion elements. He was speaking of
our being created out of His life. Such a divine mystery this. Out of the
cross would come this Creature who would have in her the very life that
flowed through the flesh and bone of Jesus. John later wrote, "He who has
the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have
the life." (1 John 5:12)
That same life that was breathed into Adam's nostrils, was the
same life that was now part of Eve's makeup. She was created to
stand by her man. Even her stewardship role spoke of her shared
glory. The Lord said, "I will make him a helper suitable for him."
(Genesis 2:18)
There are two terms equally important in this statement. The word
'suitable' is the Hebrew 'neged.' It is an interesting word. Its
simplest definition is, 'in front of, in sight of, or, opposite to. But
it carries the idea of being in the presence of someone in the sense of
corresponding to that person.
But the second word tells it all. The word 'helper' is 'ezer' in
Hebrew. It speaks of one who helps; a surrounder; one who gives
aid; a protectress. The root of this word is found in all the Semetic
languages. In Ugaritic it means 'to rescue and save.' The idea calls for
'military assistance.'
Eve was to work together with Adam, and under his covering, in all
that God had given Adam to do. Her whole life purpose was to
surround Adam, and enjoy life with this man. We see something of
this with Christ and the Church.
When Adam prophesied over Eve, He drew her back into his heart.
He called her his own flesh and bone. He was sharing with her, his
glory. We hear something of this when Jesus prays, "The glory
which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be
one, just as We are one." (John 17:22)
Does not the apostle say, "And these whom He predestined, He
also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these
whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:30)
Earlier Jesus had said, "For this reason the Father loves Me,
because I lay down My life so that I may take it again." (John
10:17) The ones He laid down His life for was the sheep. He laid
down His life at the cross, so that He could take it up again, but
now the Lord had a companion who was suitable to Him.
Perhaps it would do well to say that God's plan of redemption
encircles the
idea of marriage. The Bible opens with a marriage, and it closes with a
marriage. It opens with Adam and Eve. It closes with Christ and His
Church.
Just as Eve's future was wrapped up in Adam, even so our future is wrapped
up in Jesus. And I think that David knew what he was saying, when he said,
"You are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me
with songs of deliverance." (Psalm 32:7)
Think about it. The study is open.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)